TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5614, 27 March 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) - Masteeton, Wednesday. • A rifle corps is about to be formed at Mastef ton. ; 1 : At Tehui this'week a complaint was made: before the®.M., under the : Fisheries Act, for fishing without a license, but the charge was withdrawn. ; ■ 1 ■ ■ Otari, Wednesday. Joseph Nugent, cook at the Telegraph Hotel, and formerly cook of Government boats Stella and Hiuemoa, was found- dead at the foot of the stairs this morning’ about six o’clock. An inquest is now being held. Featherston, Wednesday. At the cattle sale to-day fat cattle averaged from £7 17s. (id. to £8 10s. Good hacks fetched from £9 15s. to £l2. No sheep were offered for sale. There was a fair attendance. Palmersiojt, Wednesday. Messrs. Kichter and Nannestead’s sawmills at Palmerston North, together with the dwelrlinghouse and a‘large stock of timber, have been totally destroyed by fife. The cause of the fire is unknown. The fire was burning'all last night, 1 and destroyed not only the old plant ■but’a-new engine and boiler recently erected and not.yet worked. The insurances are as follows British, £800; New Zealand, £IOOO ; "Victoria, £500; total, £2300. The loss is estimated at close upon £SOOO. Thh house is said to have been’insured for £IOO. i - ; Tauto, Wednesday. A large meeting is now being held at Tokana, at which-a: great many representatives s of different tribes will be present. " The object of the .gathering, is. the:.opening up of land'and making of roads'on the southern side of Bake .TaupoT "Mri Mitchell is attending of the Government, and a Mr. Grace," of Wanganui, on behalf of the land speculators., _ „ i 1 -,r" Grahajisxown,'Wednpßday, Byers, the actor, was missing from Sunday until late last night., .Wheniound by,the copitable¥e was some away. It appears he

had gone for a stroll in the direction of Hastings, and had lost himself, only regaining his knowledge of the geography of the Thames after a protracted and unpleasant journey, and an enforced absenceof fifty-six hours. Auckland, Wednesday. Mrs. Churton, aged seventy-eight, widow of the first appointed minister of St. Paul’s, died yesterday. The schooner Marian to-day conveyed two hundred empty casks to the Taupo, to be used in floating her. The Sissy takes chains and spars., The number of casks on the spot and the cargo per Marian will make sufficient to lift five hundred tons. The two schooners will raise one hundred tons more each. At the Supreme Court to-day, iu the case of Murdock of the Bank of New Zealand v. May and others, Judge Gillies dissolved the injunction to restrain the defendants from proceeding with certain work adjoining plaintiff’s property, on the ground that ample provision was made to prevent injury. In re Schroder, deceased, application as to right of summon to executor to return accounts of the estate of deceased to Commissioner of Stamps, or to show cause, the Judge held that the case should have been ooutinued in Nelson, where probate was taken out. The athletic sports in the Domain on Saturday next in aid of the Kaitangata relief fund promise to be a great success. Over 100 entries were received to-night for the various events. The principal race is the Kaitangata Cup, which is to be run iu three heats. ■ Colonel Packe is inspecting the various voluuteer companies in the Auckland District this week. So far he has expressed himself pleased with their appearance and movements. Charles Berryman, barman, has been sentenced to sixty days’ imprisonment for robbing the till of the Exchange Hotel. Nineteen applications have been received by the Postmaster for cadetships in the Post Office. Hokitika, Wednesday. Mr, Blair, the : engineer-in-chief, arrives from Ohriatehnroh by coach this evening. The Westland public bodies meet him at the County Council Chambers at 8 o’clock re the West Coast railway route. Fortyapplioations have already been made for a free passage hence to Wellington per Stella. Bishop Redwood has arrived from Nelson. The Rev. Mr. Murray reached here this morning in the Gland Hamilton. Gbeymodth, Wednesday. The Mary Campbell, after being out a couple of hours, sprung a leak, and was towed again into port for repairs. ■ 'Great dissatisfaction is expressed here at so many workmen being knocked off the harbor works, which will - now only employ about thirty men. A deputation from the working men waited on the -local authorities to consider their case. The men have families and have acquired small properties, and do not care to leave the district. The attempt to depopulate the coast by offering free passages to other parts is greatly condemned by workmen and business people alike. The sudden discharging of so many workmen is considered as having something to do with the Government Offer of free passages. The insurance companies have presented the Fire Brigade with ’ £SO for their excellent work at the late fire. ■ Chkistchcbch, Wednesday. At a- meeting to-day of the local committee re Sydney Exhibition, it was stated that a large number of persons refused to allow any of their-goods to be sent for exhibition, on the ground that the exhibits were so disgracefully looked after at the Philadelphia Exhibition, where, it was, said many of the cases were never opened. One of the committee said that the person appointed by New Zealand did little else than beg of the'New Zealanders passing through. The committee resolved to write to the Government, pointing out that a number of would-be exhibitors would refuse to forward contributions unless the Government would appoint a representative to look after the New Zealand exhibits. The committee are taking steps to have a good model of Lyttelton harbor works sent to the Exhibition.

We are now in the very busiest of tho grain season, and although the energies of the railway department are taxed to the, utmost, the scarcity of trucks has not been felt so much as it was last season. By consent of counsel, the argument on the rule nisi for a new trial in Henderson v. Napier Harbor Board will be held in Dunedin. Mr. J., Curnow, 8.A., L.L.8., of Melbourne University, hriad master of Christchurch East School, and Mr. Morrison, 8.A., of Oxford, are about to publish a work on Elementary Science, adapted for the use of New Zealand schools. Robertson and Go., of Melbourne, are to be the publishers. • 'Two serious cases were admitted into the hospital yesterday.' • Mr. Taylor, who has fractured Ids shoulder, and James Brady, laborer, with a broken leg, both the result of accidents. ' ' Dunedin, Wednesday. There is extreme .pressure of .work on the, Otago railways, and it is said.that double the number of engines mow employed are urgently required to ■ overtake the work. At the Police Court to-day two young lads were charged with having placed an obstruction on the Port Chalmers railway line. As it appeared that they acted without any felonious intent they were discharged. . . : The question of reserves for the lower harbor is still being considered by the (Government. No answer has yet . been received by the Harbor Board. , , ~ . An extract from a private letter received by a gentleman in Dunedin states, that l: General Grant, U.S., purposes .making a „tour. through the East and the Australian Colonies in the 17.5. steamer Richmond.” , • v .... Invercargill, Wednesday. A sale of Government land was,held to-day by Mr. Osborne, and included sections .at Mataura; ' Gore,"jEast Wintph, Menzio; Ferry; Athol,’ ! Lowther,':' iLorigbush,' V Invercargill Hundred, arid Flint’k Bush.' The competition was spirited, and excellent prices were realised, much above the upset price in every 'case; .'Excepting two every 'section was sold. ' Tn.the Resident Magistrate’s Court'to-day Patrick'Keririy.was committed on a charge of assault' with, .intent to oonimit' a criminal offence at tho Oreti. ’ 1 : . ' 1 , A boy 1 ‘ named ‘.Locke ; Reynolds was also committed on a charge Of stealing, a letter containing a cheque from 1 the mail-bag, while carrying'' the' mail. between/Invercargill/and Riverton. He is drily fourteen years of age.'.' ' Sir’F. D. Bell arrived this afternoon by. the express train, and met with a warm welcome from his many, friends. At the meeting of the committee of the Kaitangata relief fund'this evening lists amounting in the aggregate to £350 were submitted. Several others are'yet to come in. . It has been decided to canvass for subscriptions'in aid of a volunteer demonstration at Easter. . . : . .

A, valedictory tea meeting was given tonight, including members of all Protestant, denominations, on the occasion of Mr. MoNicol, of the Wesleyan Church, leaving the district to take up the ministry at Taranaki.